As New York is fers its first Muslim Mayor, all eyes are on Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old Democratic congressman from Queens who is the city’s most watched campaign. But the newly elected Mayor represents a woman who has a story that goes to the continents of the continent and to the creative places: Rama Duwaji, a Syrian – American artist and Artist who has quietly removed his political case.
Born in Houston, Texas, to Syrian Muslim parents from Damascus, Duwaji moved to Dubai when he was nine and spent his childhood living in the Gulf. The Dultural Dudaulity of that set age formed its art. Today, his work explores themes of self-identity, composition and resistance, often through soft but politically charged images.
Duwaji studied communication arts at the Virginia Commonwealth University School, beginning his studies at its Qatar campus before transferring to Richmond in 2019.
Now based in Brooklyn, he has built a reputation as a multiditinanary artist with portfolios in illustration, clay and editorial.
One of the widely shared images, showing three people standing together under the Arabic sign “We will not leave”, was created in solidarity with Palestinian families in Syria. Another focused on the hunger crisis in Gaza and urged fans to “keep your eye on Gaza”.
Although Duwaji has more than 170,000 followers on Instagram, her posts always focus on art and advocacy and not her husband’s political work. His feed reveals an artist intent on using his platform to tell stories, not promote.
Duwaji met Mamdani in 2021 through the dating app Hinge, and the two quickly bonded over shared values and creative energy. Their engagement took place in Dubai, surrounded by family, and their public wedding was held in New York in early 2025, followed by a ceremony in Uganda, where Mamdani was born.
While Mamdani’s political rise has been rapid, the duwaji has chosen to stay in the background. He has only appeared at campaign events and declined interviews, although he is reported to be helping with campaign situations and digital identities. His public appearances have been limited to key moments, including Mamdani’s Democratic primary victory in June and a rally in Queens alongside Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders.
Those close to the couple describe the duwaji as a presence and a quiet professional. His insight is comparable to Mamdani’s high power campaign, which is very close to social media and access to the coast.
Now, as the 28-year-old singer becomes New York’s Mouth and Muslim First, Duwawaji represents a new generation of political activists who combine culture and conscience alone. He continues to live and work in Brooklyn, dividing his time between art projects and visiting his family in Dubai.
His story also resonates with Arab and Diaspora audiences who see in his mutual familiarity as an artist who registers east and west, personal and political.
As Mamdani wrote in an Instagram post earlier this year, “rama is not just my wife, she is an amazing artist who deserves to be known by her own name.”
